Tripod head



-May 8, 1945.

A. E.- REEVES 2,375,690

TRIPOD HEAD Filed June 11 1945 2 Sheets-SheetZ I L- I feeres gTToRN Patented May 8, 1945 TRIPOD HEAD Arthur E. Reeves, Los Angeles, Calif.

. '1 Claims This invention relates to a tripod head, and,

Application June 11, 1943, Serial No. 490,415

more particularly, to one that is adapted to support a device (such as a camera, or the like) in an adjustable manner.

It has been common to provide a head of this general character that permits a camera, or the like, to have free movement in any direction, so as to follow the object of interest while exposures (either still or motion picture) are made. It has also been common to make it possible to restrain the camera to a panoram movement; that is, to angular movement about a fixed, substantially vertical axis.

These effects have, heretofore, been secured by the aid of a universal joint that provides axes of motion that are transverse to each other. A joint oi this character is most conveniently mounted on top of a tripod, andthe camera is mounted on top of the joint. Such an arrangement renders the assemblysomewhat unstable; for, when all the restraints are released, the Weight of the camera, or other device supported on the tripod, may easily cause the joint to move the camera downwardly against the tripod.

It is one of the objects of this invention to prevent such instability, and especially by providing a novel form of ball and socket joint.

By placing the center of the joint quite closely below the camera, the structure has much greater stability than other forms of joints, using axes fixed relatively to each other. Nevertheless, such ball and socket joints have not been g nerally acceptable, for it was difiicult to provide partial restraints so as to permit panoramming alone.

It is another object of this invention to make it possible to restrain a ball and socket joint at will, for permitting motion of the joint only about an axis that has a predetermined position, as required, for example, for panoramming. It is still another object of this invention to make it possible, to apply and remove the restraint on the ball and socket joint instantaneously, and without regard to the position of adjustment of the joint. Thus, the camera angle can be tilted either above or below thehorizontal, when the restraint for 'panoramming is applied, and the camera can be panoramined while that camera angle is maintained.

It is still another object of this invention to improve in general the structure of tiltable tripod heads.

This invention possesses, many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification, The form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure .1 is an elevation, illustrating a, tripod head embodying the invention, shown as mounted on a tripod and as supporting a camera;

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sectional views, respectively taken along the correspondingly numbered planes of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken along plane 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the interior of the ball part of the ball and socket joint;

Fig. 7 is a view, partly in section, illustrating an alternative position of the tripod head; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view, taken along plane 8-8 of Fig. 2.

In the present instance, the tripod head is shown as supported upon tripod leg structures l (Figs. 1 and 4). Eachjof these structuresas shown most clearly in Fig, 3, is hinged for movement by the aid of hinge pins 2. pins are accommodated in the hinge lugs 3, 4, and 5 that are formed integrally with the tripod head. Each of the tripod legs I carries at its upper end a pair of ears, such as 6 and 'Laccommodated respectively at the ends of the corresponding hinge lug 5, and the corresponding pin 2 passes through these ears.

The particular structure of the tripodlegs is of no interest in connection with the presentinvention. Appropriate mechanism, associated with'the hinges, may be utilized for ensuring sufiicient frictional restraint at the hinges against spreading or" the tripod legs; and a mechanism may also be used for adjusting the length of the legs, and for maintaining suchadjustment.

The hinge lugs 3, 4, and 5 are shown as formed integrally with a socket member 8 of the tripod These hinge this camera I2 is held in place on the tripod head will be described. hereinafter. .It is sufficient, for the present, to note that the ball member ID includes a cover It (Figs. 1 and 4), This cover I3 is threaded into the upper edge of the ball member it, and several radially extending fastening screws i l may be threaded into the cover member l3 and through the upper edge of the ball member Id. The cover l3 carries a pair of parallel supporting standards l5 and IE, to which is fastened a table-like member ll. It is upon this table-like member I! that camera [2 is disposed.

Universal movement of the ball member [0' in the socket member 8 is provided for by appropriate means that will be described hereinafter. This movement is controlled by the aid of a han dle It. This handle l8 may be inserted into an ear 20 that is shown as supported upon a flange l9 (depending from table I?) bythe aid of the thumb screw 2|.

Referring, now, more particularly to Figs. 4, 5, and 6:

By appropriate manipulation of the handle :3. the ball member l0 may be caused to move angularly about an axis 22 of the table, as well as tilted about the center ll. For this, purpose, there is provided a post structure. One element of this post structure is in the form of a hollow post 23, having an axis coincident with axis 22,

i and fixed with respect to the socket member 8.

This axis 22 is aligned with the center ll of the spherical surfaces. Post 23 is guided in the boss 24 extending downwardly from the socket merni ber 8. The boss 2e permits rotationand axial movement'of post 23. The post 23 is provided at an intermediate point with a substantially rectangular portion 25. This rectangular portion 25 has a running clearance with a slot 26 formed in the ball member Iil. Accordingly, there is a spline connection between the post 23 and the ball member l0. In this way, the ball member ID, if desired, may be tilted, for example, to the position illustrated in Fig. 7, while main-- taining therectangular portion 25 within the slot 26. Any tilted position within limits may thus be obtained. Additionally, the ball member ll] may be angularly moved about the axis 22. In such event, the rectangular portion 25 moves angularly inconformity with the movement of the ball member ill, and post 23 is angularly rotated within the boss 24.

Accordingly, a guided universal movement may be imparted to the ball member ID.

Means are provided to make it possible to clamp the ball member ID in the socket member 8 at any adjusted position. For this purpose a clamping member 29 is provided. This clamping member has a spherical or ball surface 30 cooperating with the interior spherical surface of the ball member it. Obviously, a force of compression, if sufficiently great, exerted between socket member 8 and the clamp 29 will hold the ball member lil frictionally and willrestrain the ball member in from any movement whatever. This frictional force can be, exerted by axial movement of the post 23.

For this purpose the clamp 29 is provided with a hub 3| in whichthe post 23 has a sliding fit. The upper surface 32 of this hub is adapted to be urged downwardly by operation of the post 23, so as to create a clamping force upon the ball member Ill. In order to exert this downward force, the post 23 carries a flange 27. This flange 2'! is restrained against upward movement with respect to the post 23 by the aid of the nuts 28 that are threaded on the upper extremity of the post 23. Axial movement of the post 23 downwardly thus brings the lower surface of the flange 21 into contact with the surface 32 of the boss 3|, and a clamping effect is thereby produced.

The rectangular portion 25 of post 23 is appropriately made thin enough so that it will not be moved out of the slot 26 upon clamping and releasing axial movement of the post 23.

Axial movement of the post 23 may be accomplished by manipulation of a knurled handle member 33. This handle member 33 is in the form of a hand wheel internally threaded and engaging the external threads at the lower extremity of the post 23. Between the hand wheel 33 and boss 24 is an anti-friction bearing structure 3A. A resilient force is provided constantly urging the post 23 upwardly so that hand wheel 33 must be operated to urge the lower sur-' face of flange 29 against surface 32. Upward movement of post 23 is limited by the upper surface of bearing structure 34 that engages boss 24. The resilient force is provided by a compression spring tfidisposed around boss 3|. The upper end of this spring 35 is in engagement with the lower surface of the flange 21.

The springtfi not only acts to urge the post 23 upwardly, but it also provides a resilient force urging the clamp 29 downwardly. This resilient force may be so chosen that the ball member l0, with the attached camera It, may be moved to any adjusted position and temporarily retained in that position in a stable manner. However. by turning hand wheel 33, the post 23 can be lowered, compressing the spring 35 and finally causing contact to be made between flange 2i and the upper surface 32 of boss 3!. When this occurs, as heretofore stated, a much stronger, frictional force is imposed upon the ball member Ill by the clamp 29, and the member H3 is restrained against any movement in the socket member 8.

The spring force 35 may be adjusted to some extent by appropriate adjustment of the nuts 28. Furthermore, nuts 35 may be provided at the lower extremity of the post 23 to provide a limit to the upward movement of the post 23. .This limit is imposed by contact of the upper surface of the upper nut 3b with the lower surface ofthe wheel '33.

Since post 23 is keyed or splined by the aid of the slot 26 to the ball member ll], rotation of the wheel 33 can result only in axial movement of the post 23, without rotation thereof.

From the foregoing it is clear that the ball member in can be tilted in either direction within the limits provided by the slot 26, and it may be clamped in any tilted position by operation of the hand wheel 33. Panoramming movement of the ball member I0 is permitted, while the clamp is released, by angular movement of the ball member Ill about the axis 22, effected by operation of handle it. Such angular movement causesrotation of the post 23,

In order to prevent binding between the spherical surfaces, it is preferable to provide annular felt pads 3'! and 53 in shallow recesses respectively formed in the clamping member 29 and socket 3. These pads bear all of the pressure between the co-operating parts 8, l0, and 25; they also prevent ingress of foreign matter between the adjacent surfaces of the clamp 28, ball member Ill, and socket 8.

Since there are large surfaces of contact'between the pad 31 and ball member ID, as well as 45 is disposed above the nut .28.

between pad 58 and ball member ID, the weight of the camera I2 is ineffective to overcome 'the friction between these surfaces, even when only the spring 35 is active to create that force.

It is advantageous to restrain the ball member lfl to angular movement only about the axis 22.

Such a restraint can be imposed upon the ball member ID by another portion of the post structure. ber 39 (Figs. 4 and 7) which may be utilized to co-operate With a corresponding concave spheri cal surface 39 carried by the cover l3. spherical surface 39, centered on the point I I, is

This

shown as formed in a seat member 40 fastened to the inner side of the boss 4|, depending from cover l3.

The spherical member 38 may be used to restrain tilting movement of the ball member H) ,with respect to the post 23. This can be accomplished by the aid of a screw 41 having a knurled This restraint include a spherical meme engagement with the interior'spherical surface 39.

' The camera l2 may be supported on a tablelike member I! in a manner disclosed most clearly in Figs. 1, 2,and ,8. This table-like member I! isshown as provided with converging guide flanges 4! on the upper surface. These flanges i have overhanging upper edges forming a dovetail slot into which the lower surfaces of the camera I2 can slide. For this purpose, this lower surface of the camera is provided with a correspondingly converging mating portion adapted to fit snugly into the dovetail slot.

head 42 and extending through the post 23. The

upper end of this screw 4! is shown as provided with a post 43 that is accommodated in the spher- Upon movement of the camera to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, or downward movement of the camera 12, as viewed in Fig. 2, the interlocking of the camera withthe flanges 4'! may be: freed and the camera maybe lifted oif the table I1.

Conversely; the camera i2 may be lowered onto the table-like member I I and then moved towardthe right (as viewed in Fig. 4), or upwardly (as viewed in Fig. 2), until the flanges 4] are in complete engagement with the lower portion of the camera I2.

position of the ball member in, for example, to

the position illustrated in Fig. 7... .When thespherical member 38 is thusclamped, there isa strong frictional restraint against tilting movement of the ball member ID. There is, however,

"no such restraint against angular movement of the ball member 19 about the fixed axis 22; in other words, panoramming is thus permitted while tilting is prevented. Since screw 41. is then firmly coupled to ball Ill through the tight engagement of member 33 in surface 39, this screw 41 turns freely within the post 23 during panoramming.

The screw 4| is caused to move axially by rotation in the boss 44 of a flange 45. This flange It carries a tubular member 46. The lower edge of this tubular member 45 is in frictional engagement with the interior surface of the clamp 29. This frictional engagement is sufficient to restrain rotation of the flange 45 when screw M is rotated.

When the spherical member 38 is thus urged strongly by screw 4! into position against the spherical surface 39, the tubular member 46 is correspondingly urged downwardly strongly into contact with the clamp 29. The screw 4! may thus be operated to advance or retract the spherical member 38. Correspondingly, the ball member I 9 is retrained to panoramming movement or is left unrestrained, except as it may be retrained by clamp 29.

When restrained for panoramming, the ball member ll], cover 13, tubular member 45, c1amping member 29, and screw-4i rotate as a unit. Socket 8 and clamp 29 in this condition exert no strong restraint upon the ball member Ill.

The sole restraint is that effected by compression spring 35.

Manipulation of the device to clamp and unclamp the ball member In is simple. To hold the camera l2 in any adjusted position, the hand wheel 33 is rotated to operate clamp 29. 'If it is desired merely to panoram the camera, the hand wheel 33 is operated to release the clamp 29, and i the knurled head 42 of the screw 41 is rotated to urge spherical member 38 into strong frictional i the point 49 co-operates with the tapered recess i It may be desirable to lock the camera l2 to I r the table IT.

A locking device is provided for this purpose. The structure of this locking device is shown most clearly in Fig. 8.

A tapered recess 49'is provided in the of the camera l2. This recess is in such position that, when the camera I2 is in completeengagement with the flanges 41, the tapered end49 of a post 59 can enter into the aperture. This post 59 is shown as guided in a guiding member 5|, attached as by screws 52,130 the bottom of the table-like member [1. The lower end of the post 50 isprovidedwith a knurled handle 53. The

post 59 is arranged to be resiliently urged upwardly into recess 48. Accordingly, as thecamera 12 slides on table ll toward fully engaging position, the post 50 is depressed by the lower surface of the camera. It snaps into the position of Fig. 8 when-the camera 12 has reached the end of its movement with respect to table l'l.

The resilient force operating on post 50 is provided by a compression spring 54. This spring surrounds the shank of post 59. Its lower end is in contact with the inner surface of the guide 5!. Itsupperi end engages below the threaded portion 550i the post 59. threadedportion 55 is thus urged by the spring 54 upwardly against the threaded portion 56 of a nut member 51. This nut member 5! is .tel-

escoped into a recess in the guide 5|, and is fastened thereto by the aid of the screws 59.

thereby a positive lock for, the camera i2 may be provided, in addition to the resilient lock provided by thespring 54. The tapered surface of 48 in such manner that the resilient force of the spring 54 constantly urges the camera toward the right, as viewed in Figs. 4 and 8.

The inventor claims:

1. In an adjustable support for cameras, or

the like, means forming a concave socket, a supporting member having a surface co-operating with the socket and movable therein, means for clamping said member against any movement with respect to the socket, and means for confining said member for angular movement about an axis fixed with respect to the socket.

2. In an adjustable support for cameras, or the like, means forming a spherical socket, a supbottom The upper end of i porting memberhaving' a spherical surface cooperating with the socket, a rotary post having an axis fixed with respect to the socket, and alined with the center of the spherical surface, a clamp optionally restraining said member against any movement relative tothe socket, and means movable axially of said post and co-operating with said member to confine said member to angular movement about th axis of the post.

3. In an adjustable support for cameras, or the like, means forming a spherical socket, a supporting member having a spherical surface cooperating with the socket, a rotary post having an axis fixed with respect to the socket, and alined With the center of the spherical surface, a clamp for restraining the supporting member against any movement With respect to the socket, means carried by the post and operating by r tation of the post to urge the clamp into clamping position, and independently operable means for coupling said member and post soas to confine movement of the member to angular movement about the said axis.

4. In an adjustable support for cameras, or the like, means forming a spherical socket, a supporting member havin a spherical surface cooperating with the socket, a rotary post having an axis fixed with respect to the socket, and alined with the center of the spherical surface, a clamp for restraining the supporting member against any movement with respect to the socket, means carried by the post and operating by rotation of the post to urge the clamp into clamping position, and independently operable means for coupling said member and post so as to confine movement of the member. to angular move ment about the said axis, comprising a screw 00- axial with the post, and a restraint carried by ing member.

5. In a tiltable support for cameras, or the like, having a ball and socket mechanism to per mit universa1 movement of the support, the combination therewith of a screw having an axis alined with the center of the ball and socket, and movable axially when rotated, and a restraining means operated byv said screw and cooperating to limit movement. of the mechanism only'to angular movement about an axis fixed with respect to the socket.

6. In an adjustable support for cameras, 0

the like, a pair of parts forming a ball and socket mechanism, the ball part having provisions for supporting a camera, or the like, and a composite post structure having an axis fixed with respect i ing a spherical surface co-operating with a corresponding internal spherical surface of the ball part, means extending into the ball part and having an axis fixed with respect to the socket part, for operating said clamp, said ball part and said ball part having a slot permitting tilting thereof, and means for holding said ball part in any tilted position with respect to the clamp operating means, for restraining movement of the ball part to angular motion about said fixed axis.

ARTHUR E. REEVES. 

